The UN Security Council elected former Portuguese PM António Guterres as UN Secretary-General today(5 October).According to leaked information from the secret vote,he received 13 votes in favour from the 15 members of the Council,and two “without opinion”.

The decision came as a big surprise, because although Guterres ranked first in all five straw polls held so far, it was assumed that a woman from Eastern Europe would be elected. This is why Commission Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva joined the race, pushed forward by the EPP, and personally supported by Angela Merkel.

Georgieva’s results were appallingly disappointing. She ranked 7th, obtaining 5 votes in favour, eight votes against, including two from permanent members of the Security Council (P5), and two “without opinion”.